Should You Hire Someone to Produce Your Marketing Videos?

The video production process isn’t for everyone in marketing. Your company, for example, may not have enough employees with the necessary time, talent, or desire to maneuver the process and develop systems for continually pumping out fresh marketing video. Hiring a video production company is an alternative to making videos in-house. If this idea appeals to you, consider a company’s skill level in these areas before hiring one:

Acting: Choosing a believable cast is critical to connecting with prospects. The company you hire must have a large pool of talent and be willing to hear your opinion about casting.

Budgeting: The cost of hiring a production company is the primary consideration — prices can range from $500 to $500,000 for a single video. Shop around, and find the best quality for your money.

Editing: Too many videos are now simply mash-ups of music and graphics, all moving too fast to make a true emotional connection. Look for seamless editing that enhances the story.

Finding locations: You don’t have to be in the same state (or country) as the production company, but it should have access to locations that project the appropriate company image.

Managing resources: To create a quality video, the production company must have an adequate pool of acting, directing, and editing talent.

Storytelling: A competent storyteller cultivates the most effective marketing videos, so the company you hire must be able to spin a good yarn. For example, many wedding videographers have jumped into the business video game.

Writing: Either make your message explicit or find a company that can help you frame it into a compelling script. The worst online videos invariably result from a production company’s use of the same boring formula it uses on countless other videos.

The best way to choose a production company is to watch its video products, review its budgets, and speak to its clients about their collaborative experiences. If you don’t like the company’s videos, don’t assume that it’s the client’s fault. The production company is ultimately responsible for creating successful marketing videos, regardless of a client’s direction.

Working with video professionals is not an all-or-nothing choice. You may be able to build an effective video marketing program by hiring a few key freelancers to shore up your organization’s production weaknesses.